This summer, a federal court ruled for the first time that unpaid interns were actually employees who were due backpay. The ruling came down amidst  a rising tide of lawsuits regarding internships, and alongside an expanding international movement against underpaid, precarious labor performed under the guise of internships. 

With the status quo of internships interrupted, what are the implications for the non-profit, arts, and government sectors — which often rely on  unpaid labor to make the most of dwindling donations and public funding? What is the relation of volunteering  to unpaid internships? What is the appropriate role of universities, which often act as gatekeepers for internships via their student bodies and willingness to provide credit?  Have internships served to stifle diversity by limiting opportunities only to those who can afford to work for free? What have been the effects of this practice on the labor market for young adults? 

Join Ross Perlin, author of the seminal Intern Nation, along with interns and advocacy groups for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of the practice of internships as it's forced to find new footing upon less than certain ground.  

External Link »